Tuyere



0a. 27, 1936. A. J. EBNER Er AL 2,058,577

TUYERE,

Filed Jan, 29, 1934 Inventors Alfred J. E bne Owen R. Race.

Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUYERE Application January 29, 1934, Serial No. 708,784

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in tuyeres.

More particularly the present invention relates to improvements in the cooling features of tuyeres such as are used in blast furnaces. Tuyeres for this purpose are commonly made of copper, because of the high heat conductivity of that metal. Inasmuch as such tuyeres are subjected to very high temperatures, it has been common practice to cool them with water, a current of water being directed through the tuyere wall.

It has been suggested that a coil made of a material having a higher melting point than that of the tuyere body be cast within the material of the tuyere around the nose end thereof for the positive local circulation of a cooling fluid to withstand the high temperatures present in blast furnaces, but a homogeneous unification of such a coil with the material of the tuyre body has not been commercially feasible. It has also been suggested to cast a bent tube within the nose portion of a cast iron tuyre, but this suggestion has not proved successful, for the reason, among others, that it did not provide a water jacket within the wall of the tuyre, which water jacket has proven to be desirable in commercial service. It has also been suggested to core out a hole in the nose portion of the tuyre in the casting operation by which the tuyere is made, but this suggestion has not proven successful for the reason that the cored out hole in the nose of the tuyere is inaccessible and it has not been possible to completely remove the core sand. Particles of sand clinging to the wall of the cored out space seriously interfere with the heat conducting function of the cooling medium by promoting the existence of stagnant films of fluid in and about the particles of core sand and interfering mechanically with and stagnating the flow of the cooling medium. The particles also form anchorages for bubbles of steam which tend to form when molten iron comes in contact with the tuyere nose, and these bubbles of steam form an insulating medium between the heated copper and the water which is intended to cool it, to the consequent detriment of the copper.

An object of the present invention is to avoid the difiiculties above referred to and to provide a water-cooled tuyere having means for positively conducting cooling medium into and through the nose wall of the tuyere, which tuyere, will be free from stagnant spaces and less effective heat conducting media, such as metallic scale, -etc.,

and will have perfectly smooth surfaces for the passage of the cooling medium.

A further object is to provide an improved tuyre having a water jacket in the wall thereof and having a pipe extending around the nose of the tuyere within the material of said nose, which pipe is so perfectly bonded and merged with such physical homogeneity with the material of said tuyere as to constitute an unimpaired and uniformly good heat conducting medium between the outer surface of the tuyere nose and the cooling water in the pipe.

A further object is to provide an improved water-cooled tuyre which is well adapted to meet the needs of commercial service.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawing Figure l is a view in end elevation showing the butt end of a tuyere embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a view in end elevation looking toward the nose end of the tuyere illustrated in the preceding figures.

The numeral indicates a tuyere, the outer contour of which may follow standard practice. The butt end of said tuyre may be provided with a frusto-conical portion H adapted to seat within the usual cooler (not illustrated). The nose end of the tuyere I0 is indicated by the numeral I2. Extending from the butt end to the nose end of the tuyere is an outer wall l3 and an inner Wall l4, providing between them the annular space l5 which, in operation, will be filled with water. At the butt end of the tuyre is an inlet aperture IS, the connection to which will be described presently. Also disposed at the butt end is an outlet aperture I! for cooling water, which aperture ll communicates directly with the water space l5.

Cast within the nose end I2 is a length of copper pipe indicated by the numeral I8, which pipe, as shown in Figure 3, extends circumferentially of the tuyere through almost a complete circle. Said length of pipe I 8 also includes the longitudinally extending portion 19 communicating with the inlet aperature 16. The other end of the length of pipe I8 communicates with the annular water space l5. Said other end of the length of pipe I8 is indicated by the numeral 20.

According to the present invention, the pipe l8 will have substantially the same melting point as the material of the tuyere I 0. In the case of a copper tuyre, which material is at present preferred, the pipe 48 will preferably be a drawn copper tube having a smooth inner wall. It is essential in achieving the objects of the present invention that in the casting operation in the manufacture of the tuyre the molten copper or other material of the tuyere will form a perfect bond with the material of the pipe l8, making a homogeneous combination of the material of the tuyre 10 with the material of the pipe l8. If it is preferred to choose a material for the pipe l8 different from the material of the tuyere In, the two materials should be so chosen that in the casting operation of the tuyre a complete alloy or combination of the tuyre l and the pipe l8 will be accomplished. Moreover, the coeiiicient of expansion of the material of the pipe 48 should be substantially the same as the coefficient of expansion of the tuyere I0, thereby eliminating the undesirable tendency to sever the close bond between the pipe I8 and the tuyre material, which might occur if said pipe l8 and tuyere I 0 were composed of materials having different coeiiicients of expansion.

As indicated above, it is preferred to use a drawn copper tube for the pipe l8 about which the material of the tuyere is poured in the casting operation in the manufacture of the tuyre, whereby a perfect bond is accomplished between the outer wall of the pipe 18 and the material of the tuyre, leaving no dead spaces and less effective heat conducting media and avoiding difliculties due to different coefficients of expansion of the material of the pipe l8 and of the tuyere it). By reason of the fact that the pipe i8 is a drawn copper tube, it Will have a smooth inner wall, offering no mechanical obstructions to promote the existence of stagnant films of fluid or interfering with the flow of the cooling medium or to form anchorages for bubbles of steam. The drawn copper tube of commerce has a heat conductivity at least equal to the heat conductivity of cast copper, and as a result the heat conductivity of the tuyere is at least as great as though the tuyre were formed of all-cast copper.

In operation, cooling water Will be supplied to the length of pipe l8 through the inlet aperture it. This cooling water will flow throughout the length of the pipe l8 positively cooling the nose end I 2. The water from said pipe I 8 will be discharged through the outlet end thereof into the water space I5, circulating through said water space l out of the outlet aperture ll. At the same time the entire water space l5 of the tuyre is filled with water as in prior practi e.

Though a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is intended to cover all such modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is- 1. A tuyre having spaced circumferential walls for providing a water space, said tuyere also having a nose portion, and a length of pipe Within said tuyre, said length of pipe having a circular portion embedded within said nose portion and homogeneously united with said nose portion, one end of said length of pipe communicating with said water space, the other end of said length of pipe communicating with circumferential walls providing a water space,-

and a nose portion, said nose portion having a length of pipe cast therein and homogeneously united therewith, one extremity of said pipe communicating with said water space, said tuyere having an outlet aperture communicating with said water space, and an inlet aperture communicating with the other end of said pipe, said pipe being a drawn tubing of a material having substantially the same melting point and at least as high heat conductivity as the material of said nose portion.

3. In a tuyre, in combination, a wall portion, and a nose portion, said nose portion having a circular smooth bored tube cast therein and homogeneously united therewith, means for admitting cooling medium to one end of said tube, said tuyere having a Water spacer communicating with the other end of said tube, said water space having communication with the exterior of said tuyre, said tube being of a material having substantially the same melting point and at least as high heat conductivity as the material of said nose portion.

4. A tuyere comprising, in combination, a pair of circumferential walls providing a water space, and a nose portion, said nose portion having cast therein and homogeneously united therewith a drawn tube extending circumferentially of said nose portion, means for admitting cooling water to one end of said tube, said tube communicating with said water space, said tuyere having an outlet aperture for discharging water from said water space, said tube being of a material having substantially the same melting point and at least as high heat conductivity as the material of said nose portion.

5. In a tuyere, in combination, a pair of spaced walls providing a water space, and a nose portion, a length of pipe having a portion of substantially circumferential contour, said portion of said circumferential contour being cast within said nose portion and homogeneously united therewith, one extremity of said length of pipe extending through said water space and communicating with the exterior of said tuyre, the other extremity of said length of pipe communieating with said water space, said tuyere having an aperture permitting communication between said water space and the exterior of said tuyre, said pipe being of a material having substantially the same melting point and at least as high heat conductivity as the material of said tuyre.

6. In a tuyere, in combination, a wall portion and a nose portion, said nose portion having a circular smooth bored tube cast therein and homogeneously united therewith, and means for admitting cooling medium to one end of said tube, said tuyre having a water space communicating with the other end of said tube, said water space having communication with the exterior of said tuyere, said tube and said nose portion both being composed of copper.

7. In a tuyere, in combination, a wall portion and a nose portion, said nose portion having a circular smooth bored tube cast therein and homogeneously united therewith, and means for admitting cooling medium to one end of said tube, said tuyere having a water space communicating with the other end of said tube, said water space having communication with the exterior of said tuyre, said tube having a heat conductivity at least equal to the heat conductivity of the material of said nose portion.

8. In a copper tuyre, in combination, a wall portion and a nose portion, said nose portion having a circular smooth bored copper tube cast 10 therein and homogeneously united therewith, and

means for admitting cooling medium to one end of said tube, said tuyere having a water space communicating with the other end of said tube, said water space having communication with the exterior of said tuyre, said copper tube having a heat conductivity at least equal to the heat conductivity of the material of said nose portion.

ALFRED J. EBNER. OWEN R. RICE. 

